Automatic switching-cord reel



April 1o,- 192s. 1,665,737

4 J. .l. GOUGH:

` AUTMATIC swITcHING CORD REEL Filed Nov. 4, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4Z] K' 36 Patented 1928.

TED-STATES.

annessa. `eoiiciiji, oFfcHIoAeo,fILLINois, .Assieireii riio enrol/iso ELECTRIC istanti;`

* FACTURING'JGQ; oF-.ciiicaeo, ILLINOIS, 4aCORPORATIONoir ILLINoIs;

Y.AUToMAjiIe sWI'roHING-CORDREEL@ Y abpiieationiiiea Navember 4-`192'5. semaine. 6632s."

vMy invention relates-to,meansA for,y aiuto#` lnatically, controlling the circuit `through a f conductor ,Woundoii .aj reel, Vso as vto open the circuit when thel conductor ijs Wound lon the reel and sogas to yclose the circuit Whenrv the conductor [has been unwound to atleast` a predetermined extent. i A

*llf'liere a spring-retracted reel isused in connection with twin conductorsleading to a trouble .lamp-for any electric cigar lighter, asgiiow employed on automobil-es, the current is only needed when the.conductors arel at i least ,partially-unwound' from the, reel and hence should 'bewpositively interrupted 'when the conductors Va-rewvound on thereel Vto the iiull extent. In thelcaseof an"electric;cigar ligliter of the reel type mounted lon the dash# i. boardl ot' an automobile, the user requires av considerable `extension lo'fthe flexible cord for `convenientlyreaching his cigar or pipe,

hence is also desirable that ,ther cunrent should be turned on during aconsiderable part oit' the time required jtor the needed un- Winding fof lthe cord, so as'to 'utilize this time Vinterval 'for heating ythe r'esist-anceelement joiffthe` lighter to` the .proper degree.

liurthe'rmore, litiis desirable that the current l.should besW-itched onland 'ott automatically,

" so as not to require any manipulation kofthe Vof Vtlie Kcord and the releasing of` the-cord `device other g thanv the inanualdrawing out :after the llighter has been used.

V',Generally'speaking, my inventionV aims to provide simple, inexpensive and durable .construction of al spring-,retracted reel for suclipurposes, which lwill automatically :and

positively control the` .circuit according to 5 the unwinding'V of the cord. More particulai-ly, my invention 'provides a. Vconstruction.

'llor, this vpurpose in which the switching inechanismwig operated:V 4bythe rotation of i the reel, in `Whichwear kat the contact points of4 the `switching mechanism` is minimized,

and iii-Which this switching`mechanism rugged in `:construction and easily adjusted asvto `the minimum cord unwinding to v which it isresponsive. It valso provides an arrangement which will lend itself to a con-v venient attaching of thecircuit Wires and which will Apermit the casing -of the `lighter to bejopened Without disconnecting or disarranging 'any part of theswitch mechanism. V Sltillfiirt-her zand', also more detailed `objects Willi-.appear from the followingspecif lication and from fthe accompanying drawings,"in which *i r -Figfl v.is side elevation of an electric cigar lighter lembodying my invention,` together with transverse section through .a dashboard toy which itis'attached, With theileX- thecigar lighter of Figa?, along the line 14.-

Fig.` fis ya longitudinal section taken along the line 5 5 ot Fig. 4 and llooking upward, but drawn oiia reduced scale. i

Fig. G'fis ya similarly reduced section taken alongthe same line but lookingin the pposite direction. l

Fig. 7 is a fragmentaryrfront elevation,

looking upward from tlie bottom of Eig. 4

and Vshowing .the means for `latching the sliattagainst rotation.

Fig. y8 is la perspective view of the 'forked memberwvhieh t'oims part of the actuating ,connection 'between the reel and the switching member. V

,Fi-g.,Y .9 is an Velevation ofthe notched insulating `disc Which forms lanother part of this actuating connection.V v y In "the drawings, .the liousingof the device includes a cup-shaped main `casing portionV y,having 1a circular .front Wall land a cylindrical side wall .2, .a slip cover 3 afford ing the rear Wall olf the` housing, and a, tu bular socket. 4 opening into `Ithe casing eccentric of the latter. This socket 4 is desirably threaded to tit a nut 5 for clamping a dashboard` against a Aforward corner extension? otthecasing. ,i

The lighter proper normallyv socketed in` .the bore yof thesocket 4:1 and its rear end 9 projecting in front of the dashboard and exposing the heating Wire 1l and 11A., -,which desirablyv are adjoined to form a twin-Wire conductor 11l as shown: in Fig. 1, and4 `this twin conductor is Wound on a reel rotatable `about aV shaft extending has its forward end 8i..k

transversely into the casing. This shaft, as separately illustrated in Fig. 3, has its outer end l2 projecting through the casing side l and a shoulder 13 engaging the inner face of this casing side l, the said end l2 being threaded to lit a nut la which operates through a spring finger 15 for clamping the shoulder 13 against the said inner casing face so as to prevent the shaft from moving transversely of the easing. inwardly of the shoulder 13 the shaft has a cylindrical part which extends through a bore of correspondingr diameter in the casing side l but which is enger than the thickness of the said side, so as to dispose the said shoulder outwardly beyond this casing side. '.lhe spring linger l5 has its hub l5^ provided with an ineompletely circular aperture through which the threaded shaft end 12 extends as shown in Fig. 7, and this shaft end is flattened on one side as shown at li' in Fig. 3 so as to lit the said non-circular aperture.

inwardly of the casing from the cylindrical portion 1G, the shaft has a larger diametered part 18 which extends through a spring-enclosing cover i9 clamped to a forwardly directed flange 20 formed at the pev riphery of a flat reel side 2l. Still more inward, the shafthas a spring-carrying portion 22 which abuts at one end against the said reel side 21 and at its other end against an outwardly flared part on one end of the tubular hub of the reel. The other free end of the shaft consists of a cylindrical stem 24 rotatably fitting the bore of this reel hub 25.

The companion reel side has its radially inner portion 27 offset from the radially outer side port-ion 2G and engaging the reel side 2l, the parts 26 and 27 being connected by a tubular portion 28 which forms the drum on which the twin-conductor cord 1l is wound. The hub 25 has an outwardly directed annular shoulder 29 bearing against the ring-shaped central portion 30 of the actuating member which is separately illustrated in Fig. 8, so that the -flaring of the hub end flange 23 clamps this portion 30 and the two reel sides against the shoulder 29 and hence makes a rigid assembly of the hub, the two reel sides and the said actuating member.

The other end of the tubular hub 25 has an insulating washer 3l mounted in it and a second insulating washer 32 bearing against its free end, which latter washer supports an eye 33 secured to the inner end of the wire l1. Bearing against this eye 33 is the head 34 of a conductor terminal which has its stem 35 extending through the bores of the said eye and the washers 31 and 32 and which clamps these parts into a rigid assembly, thereby mounting the said terminal rigidly on the hub of the reel.

Extending through the casing cover or side 3 of the casing is a tubular circuit terminal 36 which is insulated from this casing side by washers 37 and 38 and clamped to this casing side by a nut 39 threaded on the terminal7 the latter having an inner head a() engaging the inner washer 37. Threaded into the bore ofthe circuit terminal 36 is a plunger carrier 4l which has its inner end porti-on bored out to afford a cylinder housing the head 42 of a plunger which has its stem 41:3 projecting through the contracted forward end of the cylinder bore towards the contact head 3l of the conductor terminal. This plunger is continuously pressed toward the conductorterminal by a compression spring 4.4 within the cylinder7 but is limited as to its movement in the. said direction by the engagement; of the plunger head l2 with the end of the cylinder, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the plunger stem is out of engagement with the conductor terminal when the plunger carrier is in its out-- ward position of Fig. lin which it is dis-- posed when the conductor is completely wound on the reel so as to socket the lighter head after the manner of Figs. l and 2.

l'igidly secured to the plunger carrier, as by clinching it between a pair of radial. vflanges t5 on the latter, is an insulating disc -l-( which has a pair of oppositely disposed peripheral notches 4.7 as shown in Figs. 5 and S). lllxtenifliug respectively through these notches are the arms i8 of the companion actuating member which has its ring-shapcd base il() secured to the hub of the reel as heretofore described, each ol the arms beingl of such a size as to slide 'fully through the adjacent notch transversely of the insulating disc or in a. direction parallel to the axis of the reel. This axis preferably coincides with that of the threaded ph'lnger carrier 36 and of the plunger stem 45E. and the free end of vthis stem desirably rounded so that its engafigement Awith the contact head 34 ol the conductor terminal is also ou the same axis, thereby reducing friction and wear at the contact.

'llo facilitate the installation of my device, l desirably employ the projecting threaded members at opposite sides of the casing as terminals by employing two auxiliary nuts. namely a nut 49 threaded on the shaft end l2 and clampingthe tip of a circuit wire 50 against the nut 14, and a nut 5l threaded on the plunger carrier 36 and elan'iping the` end of the companion circuit wire 52 against the nut- 39. Thus arranged, the circuit from the battery 3?) to the heating wire l0 of the lighter is interrupted by the gap between the lip of the plunger stem i3 and the cord terminal head 54 when the switching member is in the inoperative position as shown in F 4. namely. the position to which the switching member is moved through the intwengaging actuating members when the llo Vit'

to the shaft being conveniently made by soldering this wire 11A to one of the arms 48. i f

Cord .is fully twound on the fiieel throughlthe f retraoting faction of a coiled (spring 1 which is secured atitsiaineriendgto the shaft.,part 22:and its outernd to Vthecylindrical f part 20 Lof ithelfreelfside `Wlienthe lighter e proper is, drawn famay; ,fromr1 the" `dashboard to iinwind the, cord `fronfi the reel, the arms 48y and 4the ,notchedinsulatorl-.LG :cooperate in rotating theswitclring member with the. reel,

andfthe lthreaded connection fof lthe switch-ing member to the stationarycircuit terminal 36VV causes the switching member to move p with .aspirally advancingfmotion toward the contactl head .34. As soon `as this ylongitudinal `movement `-of the switching gmember brings its .plunger .tip into engagement with the .contact fliead, 34 of the cord terminal, the

circuit is closed.;` The ycontinued rotation of thewleel in the `same directiongby a further pulling out .ofthe cord ymoves-only the plunger carrier al` further towards the4 cord t terminal,- ,whilathe Vcoml'aanion springitt holds the plunger in.- goodcontacting engagement with the cord terminal,V so` that `the circuit. is .closed as ,along .as .the .cord lighter properlis ator beyond Itheadj-usted minimum dfistancefrointhe lighter socketi.

{To preventjthespring from rotatingthe sha-ft ,of the device, I` provide the casing side. l withV outwardly directed radial :ribs 55, airy one of `which mayf` be Aengaged by the spring finger l5, Vtllereby .also -laermittifng "thcitensiongrof the springt@ beadjustedby i looseningllthe nuts laf-and 49 and` 4.then

. rotating .the `spring ,andi shaft withrespect to; the casing. By .providing .exposed circuit connections as shown' in Figs. @zand 4, I facilitatethe Vwiring, aiidjby 'employing slidabl-y interfitting `partsfon thetwo interengaging, actuating members I4 can mount one ,circuit ,terminal `oiidfa cover' or;` side whichis detachable;from:tlie body -the `casing. without disturbing 5 the.;` arrangements .ofi otheriparts, L y Vhen -thisdetachable sideis reinored fromthezbody of the casing, ther switching,member-can .be rotated by] vmanipulating 'the .insulator .e 4:6, :thus provid:` ving simple means for adjustingthe inoperaj tiregpositionof the switching member.

With the t illustrated` construction, ,theifen` v Y,tire reel, shaft., @hub and spring arrangement.

can; be assembled, as; af unitv while outside the casing, and the innerkends of the conductor wires can easily be secured in position, the electricalconnection nfrom one of these wires However, while I have illustrated and described my invention as embodied in a device in which the current-,consuming por-y tion serves as a cigar lighter, I doV not wish to be limited to its yuse in that connection.

Neither do I wish tobe'limited tothe details of `the construction and arrangement above described, as manychanges might obe from ,the spirit of `my invention .or from the minal andsengaging `the switching member :whereby a rotation of the nieel'e'rota-tes 'the .switchingmember so as .to-cause the switching member to' move towards or away from the said. Vcontactface; the switching member including a metal body portion threaded on thesaidone ofthe :terminals and a springpressed plunger carried yby and projecting beyond the said .body portionftoward the saidcontact face. n e' 1j A The combination withl a'rotatablev reel, cfa, conductor.wound thereon; a .pair of spaced terminals,.means electrically connect-v ing theconductor to one thereof, a switching member thi.'eaded` on one ofthe terminals and extending axially 4of the reel toward the other.terminaban operating `.element fast on theswitching member and projecting radially thereof, and an arm fast with respect to the Vsaid other terminal and engaging the sait-inclement to cause a rotation ofthe reel to` rotate the switching member.

In a device Of theclass described, a casing grounded to one terminal of a circuit, a

'sl'iaftimoiirited within .the'casing and terminating atl a distance from one side of the casing;a reel rotatablymounted on the shaft;

a pairof conductors wound on the ieel,`one

ofthe conductors being velectrically ,connected .through the reel and the shaft to the casing; contact member fast' iiponbut in-` .fsulated fromfthe' reeland extending across the axis ofthe shaft betweenfthe shaft'and the said side ofthe casing; a circuit terminal member mounted on, butinsulated from, the l v said side of the casing;v switching memberthreaded` upon one of the, aforesaid members AVand extending axially of the shaft towards v'the e other thereof, so that the,

threaded connection will causeja rotation of the switching member to .move the latter axially 'of the shaft to engage the said other member, one of the thus engageable members` being compressible; and actuating means in* i terposed between the reelY and the switching member whereby the switching member rotates with the reel. 1

4. A switching ldevice as per claim l, in which tli'eswitching member includes a llfl body part threadedly connected to the circuit terminal member, an extension part slidably mounted on the body part and directed toward the said other member, and a com pression spring interposed between the two parts'7 the said two parts having interengaging formations for limiting the sliding ot the extension part on the body part toward the said other' member.

A switching device as per claim l, in which the actuating means comprise an insulator mounted on the switching member and having an opening therein, and an arm 'tast ou the reel and extending parallel to the axis of the rcel slidably through the said opening.

G. A switching device as per claim l, in which the actuating .means comprise an insulating disc tast on the switching member and having a pair ol peripheral notches, and a member fast on the reel and having a pair of arms disposed parallel to the axis of the reel and respectively extending through the said notches.

7. In a device'oit the class described, a casing, a shai't faston one side otf the casing and extending transversely of the casing part ot the way toward the other side thereot', a hollow terminal mounted on' the said other side olf the casing in axial alignment with the shatt, nieans insulating the hollow terminal i'rom the said other side ot' the casing, a reel rotatable on the shaft, a contact terminal carried by the reel and having a tace disposed transversely across the axis ot the sha'l't, means insulating the contact terminal from the rcel, a conductor wound on the reel and having its ends electrically connected respectively to the shaft and the contact; terniinal, a switching member threaded into the bore ot the hollow terminal aud extending toward the contact terminal so that its threading will cause rotation ot the switching member in one di rection to move the switching member into engagement with Jthe said face ot the con-- taetterminal, and actuating means interposed between the reel and the switching member whereby the switching member rotates with the reel.

8. ln a device ot the class described, a casing, a reel rotatably mounted in the casing, a circuit terminal carried by but insulated rom a wall otA the casing, a contact member carried by and insulated from the reel,

a conductor wound on the reel and having one end connected to the contact member and its other end lgrounded to the casing, a switching member threaded into the circuit terminal and extending axially of the reel toward the Contact member, and a pair ol" slidably interengaging members respectively fast on the reel and the switching member for operatively connecting the reel with the switching member to rotate the switching member conjointly with the rotating of the reel.

9. A device as per claim T, in which one o't the interengaging members includes an arm extending laterally ot and substantially parallel to the axis ot the reel and secured to the reel; the other ot' the interengaging members comprising a compressible conducting member having one end portion threaded on thc circuit terminal and its other end adjacent to and adapted to engage the contact terminal, and an element tast on the said end portion and slidably engaged by the said arm.

l0. In a device of the class described, a reel comprising a pair ot side portions and a hub connecting the said reel portions, a shaft on which the hub is journaled, a conductor wound on the reel, a conductor terminal carried by the hub, and presenting a contact tace extending across the axis of the hub, a stationary circuit terminal spaced trom the said face, a switching i'nen'iber threaded upon one of the said terminals coaxial with the hub and adapted to contact with the said face on the said axis, and operati'iig means interposed between the reel and the switching member for causing the switching member to rotate with the reel.

l1. A device as per claim 7, in which the side portions ot the reel have parts thereof in tlatwise engagement and in which the operating means include an element having a portion disposed between one ot the said parts and a part of the hub, the hub being constructed for Simultaneously securing the said reel parts and the said element to one another.

l2. A device as per claim 7, including an insulator mounted on one end of the hub and carrying the conductor terminal.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, October 31st, 1925.

JAMES J. GOUGH. 

